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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 116 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  4. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  7. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. We're almost out of ________________.
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. You don't need to ________________ round.
  18. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  19. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  20. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. current — happening now
  3. march — music
  4. pop — music
  5. bulb — for light
  6. branch — of a bank
  7. fork — to eat with
  8. fork — in a road
  9. branch — a division
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. deal — to handle
  12. pop — soda
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. bulb — for light
  15. fork — a garden tool
  16. current — electric
  17. pop — to visit
  18. march — the month
  19. march — the month
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. current — of water
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. patient — a sick person

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com